2024 diss track by Kendrick Lamar
"Not Like Us" is a diss track written and recorded by the American rapper Kendrick Lamar and produced by Mustard and Sounwave.[1] It was released on May 4, 2024, during his ongoing feud with the Canadian rapper Drake, less than 24 hours after Lamar's previous diss track, "Meet the Grahams". The fifth installment in Lamar's 2024 series of diss tracks directed at Drake, "Not Like Us" builds on previous allegations of sexual misconduct linked to Drake and his OVO Sound record label. In the song, Lamar further accuses Drake of pedophilia, while also criticizing him for exploiting Atlanta musicians and culture for financial gain.[2][3][4]
Background
Produced by Mustard and Sounwave, the track serves as Kendrick's third song in a thirty-six-hour period directed at Drake.[5] This is a part of a series of "diss tracks" exchanged between the two artists after an online feud originating between the two and J. Cole.[6] The song follows "Euphoria", "6:16 in LA", and "Meet the Grahams". The song was released on May 4, 2024, just one day after Lamar's "Meet the Grahams" and Drake's "Family Matters".
In "Not Like Us", Lamar continues his accusations and escalates them against Drake and his OVO Sound record label. Lamar alleges that Drake is a pedophile and a cultural appropriator, and that he has engaged in child sexual abuse with his bodyguard Chubbs and OVO Sound artists PartyNextDoor and Baka Not Nice. Lamar also accuses OVO Sound of being complicit in Drake's alleged child trafficking ring.[7]
Composition
Throughout the track, Lamar accuses Drake of inappropriate behavior with minors, labeling him a "certified pedophile" (a reference to Drake's album Certified Lover Boy).[8]
Lamar portrays Drake as a "colonizer" who exploits Atlanta artists like Future, Lil Baby, 21 Savage, and others for street credibility and financial gain.[9] He also claims that Drake was intimate with Lil Wayne's partner while Wayne was incarcerated, and calls for one of Drake's associates to be "registered and placed on neighborhood watch" like a predator.[10]
Cover art
The cover art shows a bird's-eye view from Google Maps of Drake's Toronto residence, known as "The Embassy", with "sex-offender map symbols".[11][12][13][14] On Google Maps, fans of Lamar reacted to the song by tagging Drake's residence with labels, including "Owned by Kendrick", "KingKunta" and "Kendrick's Special Needs Education Centre".[15][16]
